TREVOSE, Pa., March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Rita's Italian Ice, the nation's largest Italian Ice concept with over 625 outlets in 20 states will celebrate their 21st Annual First Day of Spring Free Ice Giveaway, and their "First Taste of Spring" Instagram and Twitter Photo Contest, tomorrow, Wednesday, March 20th, 2013.

Rita's Italian Ice will celebrate its 21st Annual First Day of Spring Free Ice Give-Away by scooping Free Ice all day Wednesday, March20th, 2013. All Guests will receive a complimentary Ice in a limited edition First Day of Spring cup to celebrate the annual milestone. Guests can choose from over 65 flavors of Rita's famous Italian Ice made fresh daily with real fruit, including the most popular Mango, Cherry, Alex's Lemonade, Swedish Fish® and Cotton Candy, just to name a few!

To capture the fun of Rita's First Day of Spring Celebration, Rita's is encouraging fans to photograph their "First Taste of Spring" at Rita's with an Instagram and Twitter Photo Contest! One lucky contestant will win Free Ice for a Year and runners up will win other cool prizes from Social Print Studio (http://printstagr.am).

To enter the photo contest Guests must follow Rita's on Twitter (@RitasItalianIce) and/or Instagram (@ritasice) and hashtag their entries with #ritasfirstdayofspring. Photos submitted will be judged based on creativity, originality and how well a fan showcases their first taste of spring at Rita's. Rita's Instagram and Twitter Contest begins on March 20th at noon and ends at midnight, March 22nd, 2013. Winners will be notified on March 27th and announced on March 29th.

"We are excited to celebrate our 21st annual first day of spring and invite our fans to enjoy some happiness in a cup tomorrow," said Jonathan Fornaci, Rita's Chief Executive Officer. "We want all our Guests to take a photo of their First Taste of Spring and enter our Instagram and Twitter contest for a chance to win cool prizes!"

With its motto, "Ice, Custard, Happiness," Rita's has been dedicated to serving up a big dose of happiness with their freshly made, delicious Italian Ice for fans on the first day of spring for twenty-one years in a row. Rita's has hosted its annual Free Ice Give-Away for millions of fans of the cool treat since 1992, in fact, almost 10 million free cups of Ice have been given away over the years!

About Rita's Franchise Company

Rita's Franchise Company, founded in 1984 and headquartered in Trevose, PA, is the largest Italian Ice concept in the United States, currently operating in 20 states with over 625 outlets. Rita's presently has international outlets opening in China, India, ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), and Canada, and is continuing to grow nationally and internationally through franchise opportunities.

The popular chain offers a variety of frozen treats including its famous Italian Ice, made fresh daily with real fruit, available in over sixty flavors, Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard, Milkshakes, Sundaes with Unlimited Toppings, Light Custard, Frozen Custard Cakes, Custard Cookie Sandwiches made with OREO®, layered Gelati as well as its signature Misto® and Blendini® creations. Since 1984, "Ice, Custard, Happiness," has been the brand's motto, and almost thirty years later, Rita's is still dedicated to serving up a big dose of happiness with their freshly made, delicious, custom treats, in a fun-filled atmosphere.

Rita's topped the Zagat Survey for the #1 Best Quick Refreshment, Ice Cream/Custard for 2012, and was named one of the Top 25 Franchise High Performers by the Wall Street Journal's "Startup Journal" and named Top 100 on Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 500 Franchise Rankings" in 2012. For more information about Rita's please call 1-800-677-7482 or visit www.ritasice.com or www.ownaritas.com